Green Archers look to bounce back against Adamson

The competition has become highly competitive in the UAAP Season 77 Men’s Basketball tournament, with three teams tied for second place and just one game behind the league-leading FEU Tamaraws.

After a heartbreaking loss endured by the DLSU Green Archers against the FEU last Wednesday, it propelled down the defending champions to a triple tie at second place in the standings while the Morayta-based squad now drive solo at the top spot.

The Green-and-White now have a chance to bounce back as they face the AdU Soaring Falcons on August 31, Sunday, at 2 pm in the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Efficiency

The Green Archers may have had their most efficient game of the season when they faced the Soaring Falcons last August 2, as they went on to win by 19 points, 67-48. Moreover, the game featured a different face leading the Green Archers in sophomore guard Kib Montalbo who notched a career-high 18 points on 75 percent shooting.

The game also showcased a La Salle team without the aid of their bigs as Arnold van Opstal and Norbert Torres sat out with injuries. The lack of big men forced the Green Archers to play small during the game, making most of their points from the perimeter.

Despite their lack of big men, the Green Archers continued to press their pesky defense, limiting the Falcons to only 21 percent shooting during the first half. Moreover, the defense shown by La Salle forced 22 turnovers against AdU.

A more complete roster

Though the Falcons might show a similar type of play intomorrow’s game, the Green Archers would certainly not, as much of their players have now returned from their injuries.

The return of van Opstal and N. Torres would prove to be a handful for Adamson as the two are known for racking up points down low and securing rebounds, a facet where Adamson struggled a bit during their last meeting with La Salle.

Nevertheless, with La Salle’s seven-game winning streak recently snapped, the Falcons might see this as an opportunity to trample the defending champions by catching them while they are off guard. However, the sudden momentum shift of La Salle might be the spark they need to notch a win for this season.

Rookie forwards Prince Rivero and Ivan Villanueva are expected to go head-to-head at the low-post during this game, with inside scoring being the priority.

The hump relies heavily on the Green Archers themselves as they try to get back in winning form while the Soaring Falcons try to feed their hunger for a first win. Either way, it is a must win for both teams.